New Delhi: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has formally handed over seven indigenously developed technologies to India’s armed forces under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme, signalling a major step in the nation’s drive for self-reliance.
The transfer was announced after a meeting of the Empowered Committee at DRDO Bhawan on 2 December, chaired by Samir V. Kamat. Senior representatives from the three Services, the Department of Defence Production and DRDO were present.
The seven technologies span diverse operational needs. They include: an indigenous high-voltage power supply for airborne self-protection jammers; a tide-efficient gangway for naval jetties; advanced very-low-frequency/high-frequency (VLF-HF) switching matrix systems; VLF loop aerials for underwater platforms; an indigenous water-jet propulsion system for fast interceptor craft; a novel process to recover lithium precursors from used lithium-ion batteries; and a long-life seawater battery system designed for sustained underwater sensing and surveillance.
The ministry noted that each of these technologies was designed, developed and “extensively tested” by Indian industry in close collaboration with DRDO experts and the tri-services, reinforcing the TDF’s focus on import substitution and critical capability building.
In addition, the Committee approved 12 new projects across strategic, aerospace, naval and electronic-warfare domains, part of the ongoing push to strengthen indigenous defence innovation and speed up technology induction into the Services.
